Cathode ray tube binary adder



Aug. 19, 1958 H. w. KOHLER 2,343,162

CATHODE RAY TUBE BINARY ADDER Original Filed March 7. 1950 2Sheets-Sheet 1 #4/1/5 hum/z [/5 EF /W Aug. 19, 1958 H. w. KOHLER2,848,162 I CATHODE RAY TUBE BINARY ADDER Original Filed March 7. 1950 2Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent CATHODE RAY TUBE BINARY ADDER HansW. Kohler, Washington, D. C.

Original application March 7, 1950, Serial No. 148,251, now Patent No.2,627,587, dated February 3, 1953. Divided and this application January19, 1953, Serial No. 333,853

2 Claims. (Cl. 235-61) (Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952), sec.Md)

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or forthe Government for governmental purposes without the payment of anyroyalty thereon.

This application is a division of application for patent Serial Number148,251, of Hans W. Kohler, filed March 7, 1950, now Patent No.2,627,587, for Cathode Ray Tubes.

This invention is in cathode ray tubes and particularly provides meansfor rapidly combining certain electrical conditions representingnumerical values and indicating a mathematical sum therefor.

Otherwise considered, the apparatus indicates the con: dition of each ofthree electrical leads (whether on or oif) in all of a series ofpredetermined intervals in time.

The principal object of the invention is, therefore, to provide acathode ray tube device for substantially instantaneously totalingcertain kinds of values.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a cathode ray tubemeans for rapidly and accurately indicating the occurrence of one of anumber of possible events.

More specifically, objects of the invention are to provide simpleelectronic means for performing standard and binary-scale mathematicalproblems.

Other objects will be apparent from a reading of the followingspecification and claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a digrammatic illustration of the cathode ray tube of myinvention;

Figure 2 illustrates the manner in which it is possible to connect theplates of the cathode ray tube of my invention for certain purposes;

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic showing of the function of one stage of anadding circuit utilizing the cathode ray tube of my invention; 1

Figure 4 is a diagram of the manner in which several stages of myapparatus may be connected to perform binary-scale addition; and

Figure 5 shows schematically the input-output relations of a series ofcathode ray tube adding units according to invention, the amplifiers andcoupling networks being omitted.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the cathade ray tube ofmy invention is in general conventional in form, but that in place ofthe normal two pairs of de fleeting plates it contains three sets 11-11,12-12, and 13-13 arranged to provide radial deflection of a cathode raybeam in planes 120 apart.

The cathode ray beam generator indicated at 15 is not of itself noveland will not be described herein. Standard focusing means for the beamare employed.

It will be seen that the target electrodes of which there are seven(1-7) are arranged so that six of the plates, 2-7, are located at thecorners of a regular hexagon, with plate 1 at the exact center thereof.Diametrically opposed target electrodes are lined up with correspondingpairs of deflection plates.

The system is so adjusted that, if, for example, a posi- 2,848,162Patented Aug. 19, 1958 Table I Deflection Plates Target Number in Figure1 ll 12 13 1 0 0 3 0 l 0 2 0 0 1 4 l 1 0 5 1 0 1 7 0 1 1 6 1 1 1 l 0 0 0Beam Out The tube can be used for the addition of three binarybasesignals, it being possible to represent numerically seven differentconditions or sums. Conversely, these sums indicate the conditions ofthe wires carrying the onofi signals.

The three signals to be added are brought in on separate lines 20, 21,and 22, which control respectively the reflection of the pairs of platesIll-11, 12--12',' and 13-13'.

The operation of the tube is as follows: with all of the three sets ofdeflecting plates active, i. e., all of them carrying marking or voltageimpulses, the cathode ray beam is centered on target 1. The beam wouldact in exactly the same fashion if all three leads were carrying spacingor no-voltage impulses, but diiferentiation between these two conditionsis obtained by a coupling 30 which causes the beam to be extinguishedexcept when at least one set of deflecting plates is energized.

As above indicated, the beam is caused to impinge upon targets 5, 6, and7 by coaction of two sets of deflecting plates. If, for example, lines20 and 21 are both active, the beam will be driven to target 5. Each ofthe other possible combinations of active and inactive plates determinesa target for the cathode ray beam.

The manner in which the output of the tube is utilized forms no part ofthe present invention. Indicators or other terminal equipment of anyconvenient type may be em ployed. The targets may, for example, becoated and thus caused to fluoresce under the influence of the cathoderay beam.

Addition of binary-base numbers in different fashion is illustrated inFigures 2-5; here, operations with larger numbers are contemplated.Consider two binary numbers A and B which have digits A A A and B B Brespectively, where each digit represents a. different fixed quantity(conveniently, different powers of 2), and the presence or absence ofthe quantity in the number is indicated by a voltage impulse or ano-voltage impulse.

A,,, B,,, and the carry-over from the next lower stage, C compose theinput data for the adder. S and C are the output data of the adder. S,,,the sum is the part of the output not transferred to the next higherstage of the adder, Whereas C is the carry. As noted, each of thequantities n, B C S C is two-valued, either on or ofi, or 1 or 0. Again,using the last notation, Table I may be transcribed as Table II forpurposes of illustrating the operation of the apparatus of Figures 2-5,

3 Table II Input Output OHOHHOOH cn-u-uznowo OHI-H-IOHOO Beam Out;

Consideration of Table II shows that targets 2, 3, 4, and 5, 6, 7,respectively, may appropriately be connected together since each targetof the first group represents a sum of 1, and each target of the secondgroup, a sum of 2. The center target 1, which always represents a sumand a carry (in this case, 3), is connected over two unilateral couplingdevices 40 and 41 to the carry and sum terminals. It will be understoodthat in the second stage of the adder each input and the sum outputrepresents a value of 2, and the carry, a value of 4, while in the thirdstage the respective values are 4 and 8, etc.

Addition of two binary numbers by a chain of adders is illustrated in anexample in Figure 4.

Figure 5 shows schematically the input-output relations of a chain ofadders consisting of a series of cathode ray tubes according to myinvention. All amplifiers and coupling networks are omitted since noclaims are made for these circuits. The showing is similar to that ofFigure 4 and merely makes it somewhat more clear that the input to anadding stage consists of a value for A, a value for B, and the carryover from the preceding stage, and that these three values are appliedto the deflecting plates of a tube while the outputs of the tube (thesum and carry) are taken from the target electrodes.

The foregoing description is in specific terms, and many modificationswill suggest themselves so that for the true scope of the inventionreference should be had to the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for performing binary-scale addition comprising a seriesof cathode ray tubes each of said tubes having three deflecting meansfor an electron beam therein each beam being normally substantiallycentered in its tube said deflecting means being effective whenseparately energized to deflect the same in three planes 120 apart,three inputs for each tube each connected toone of said deflecting meansand each to a separate source of signals representing the presence orabsence of binary scale digits said means being energized only bysignals representing the presence of such digits and two outputs eachsaid tube one of said outputs serving to provide a binary-scale sum ofthe input signals of its tube and the other of said outputs serving todenote a quantity to be carried for further addition the last-mentionedoutput being connected to one of the inputs of another cathoderay tubeof said series.

2. In an apparatus for performing binary-scale computation, a cathoderay tube having a beam-generating means the beam generated thereby beingnormally substantially centered in said tube and three deflecting meanstherefor said means being effective when separately energized to deflectsaid beam from said centered position in three planes apart, an inputconnection to each of said deflecting means, and means for synchronouslysupplying signals thereto each representing the presence or absence ofbinary-scale digits, those representing the presence thereof to energizethe associated deflecting means, a group of target electrodes located insaid tube for contact by said beam whenever one of said inputs isenergized said group including an electrode in each of said planes,another group of target electrodes located for contact by said beamwhenever two of said inputs are energized said other group includingfurther electrodes located in planes 120 apart relative to said centeredpo' sition of said beam said last mentioned planes being symmetricallyspaced between said first mentioned planes, a further target electrodecontacted in similar fashion whenever three of said inputs areenergized, an output connected to said first group of target electrodes,another output connected to said second group of target electrodes, anda further output connected to said further target electrode and to saidfirst two-mentioned outputs, another substantially-like cathode raytube, means connecting the output for the said second group of targetelectrodes to an input of said other cathode ray tube, and means forsupplying other electrical signals to the other inputs of said othertube each such signal representing the presence or absence of a binaryscale digit, said other signals being synchronous with said firstmentioned signals.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,929,067 Hund Oct. 3, 1933 1,946,223 Mason Feb. 6, 1934 2,206,668Hollmann July 2, 1940 2,214,729 Hickok Sept. 17, 1940 2,241,809 DeForest May 13, 1941 2,365,476 Knopp et al Dec. 19, 1944 2,441,296 Snyderet al May 11, 1948' 2,473,691 Meacham June 21, 1949 2,517,712 RiggenAug. 8, 1950 2,692,727 Hobbs et al. Oct. 26, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent N00 2 848,162 I I August 19,1958 Hans W D Kohler It is hereby certified that error appears in theprinted specification T of the above numbered patent requiringcorrection and that the said Letters Patent should read as correctedbelow.

Column 3, line 53 after "outputs" insort for o Signd and sealed This27th day of January 1959.

(SEAL) Attest:

KARL 1-1,, AXLINE 7 ROBERT c. WATSON Attesting Officer Commissioner ofPatents Patent No 2348,162

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTIQN August 19, 1958Hans W D Kohler It is hereby certified that error appears in the printedspecification of the above numbered patent requiring correction and thatthe said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 3 line 53, after outputs' insert m for e Attest:

ROBERT C. WATSON Commissioner of Patents KARL Ho AXLINE AttestingOflicer UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent N002 848 162 I August 19, 1958 Hans Wo Kohler It is hereby certified thaterror appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patentrequiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read ascorrected below. T

Golumn 3 line 53, after "outputs" insert for Signed and sealed this 27thday of January 1959o Attest:

m1, AXLINE ROBERT c. WATSON Attesting Oflicer Commissioner of Patents

